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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"Losing streaks are funny. If you lose at the beginning you got off to a bad start. If you lose in the middle of the season, you're in a slump. If you lose at the end, you're choking." ~ Gene Mauch, Professional Baseball Player and Manager
Trending: Crawford pitches second straight shutout as Blackhawks down Canucks. (See hockey section for Blackhawks updates).
Trending: Lethargic play, too much sloppiness hurts Bears. (See the football section for Bears. updates).
Trending: Jason Heyward megadeal reinforces World Series expectations for Cubs. (See the baseball section for Cubs updates).
NFL Scoreboard, Sunday, 12/14/2015.
Minnesota Vikings 20
Arizona Cardinals 23
Buffalo Bills 20
Philadelphia Eagles 23
San Francisco 49ers 10
Cleveland Browns 24
Detroit Lions 14
St. Louis Rams 21
New Orleans Saints 24
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17
Tennessee Titans 8
New York Jets 30
Pittsburgh Steelers 33
Cincinnati Bengals 20
Indianapolis Colts 16
Jacksonville Jaguars 51
San Diego Chargers 3
Kansas City Chiefs 10
Washington Redskins 24
Chicago Bears 21
Atlanta Falcons 0
Carolina Panthers 38
Seattle Seahawks 35
Baltimore Ravens 6
Oakland Raiders 15
Denver Broncos 12
Dallas Cowboys 7
Green Bay Packers 28
New England Patriots 27
Houston Texans 6
New York Giants Monday Night's Game
Miami Dolphins 12/14/2015.
Red denotes winning team
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears fail 'test of character' in loss to Redskins.
By John Mullin
After the Bears lost to the San Francisco 49ers and fell to 5-7, Jarvis Jenkins termed the final four games of this season a “test of character.” If Sunday’s game against the Washington Redskins was a test of character, then the 24-21 loss speaks volumes about something in the makeup of a Bears team that has gone from resembling a good team with fits of bad, to a bad team with spurts of good — from a team that had won three of its last four leaving Green Bay, to a team that now has lost three out of its last four.
John Fox specifically noted the importance of the last quarter of the season in evaluations of players. A second straight loss with playoff implications at stake, at home, against two teams that hadn’t previously won on the road all year, will be a very, very poor start for more than a few evaluations.
And few answers were forthcoming, even to the obvious question of what a team does to pull out of the freefall.
“You know, I don’t know if you do,” Fox acknowledged. "All I know is you have to work harder and get better. It’s not a lack of effort; it’s not a lack of want-to.”
Or was it?
A lack of urgency was almost palpable in Soldier Field when a team that prided itself on being fighters and finishers was neither, twice now, with the season on the line. That perhaps was the most disturbing aspect of the Washington game, and really the San Francisco game as well. That the Bears weren’t “starters,” effectively spotting mediocre opponents advantages and then and only then deciding they’d better get going.
“The bottom line is that we have to come out and match their intensity,” said rookie nose tackle Eddie Goldman, one of the few Bears who played anything close to a consistently solid game. “Usually we do that. In practice we do that. I can’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong, but we’ve got to start fast and finish.”
The Bears knew the stakes, even had extra time to prepare for the 49ers, and played like a team with its playoff status already determined. Which now it is, in a manner almost hard to fathom after the spark that was present at Green Bay in what is now relegated to the status of “fluke.”
The defense that held Aaron Rodgers and the Packers to 13 points on Thanksgiving allowed a below-average Washington offense 14 in less than the first 16 minutes, then allowed four drives 50 yards or longer in the second half. The finger of blame will again point toward kicker Robbie Gould for his wide-right attempt from 50 yards in the closing minutes Sunday. But, like the San Francisco game, it should never have reached that point but for an offense that managed just one score on three second-quarter possessions on which the Bears drove the ball into Washington territory.
Three times in the span of eight weeks the Bears have been in positions to win games and ascend to .500. Three times they failed, with bad games against Detroit, Denver and San Francisco. Two of those losses were to teams (Detroit, San Francisco) with losing records, as was Sunday’s to Washington (6-7).
And the Denver, San Francisco and Washington losses were all in Soldier Field, where the Bears now stand a woeful 1-6.
What was concerning, too, is that the Bears seem bewildered by their own lack of urgency that has seen opponents more than double their point total in 2015 first quarters. Including Sunday, the Bears have scored 41 first-quarter points, to opponents’ 89. The Bears were shut out for the first 15 minutes Sunday.
“I don’t have any idea or reason why it was,” wide receiver Alshon Jeffery said of another poor start to a winnable game.
Maybe that is the most ominous assessment of all.
Lethargic play, too much sloppiness hurts Bears.
By John Mullin
A question was put to coach John Fox after Sunday’s 24-21 loss to the Washington Redskins, a game marked by lethargic play early and too much sloppiness throughout: Did he feel somehow that he was losing the locker room?
“If (the players) get lost, they get lost,” Fox bristled. “I think right now (coaches are) not losing faith in them, so I don’t perceive that being a problem.”
Something is a problem, however, in the inability of the Bears to translate physical, competitive practices into fire on the field in games. The Bears have either failed to start or to finish too many games through their first 13, inconsistency traceable to individual players not executing assignments, drawing penalties or other issues surfacing.
The Bears matched the Redskins in yardage (Bears 377, Washington 374) and were relatively even throughout, except for a woeful first quarter and start of the second, a stretch that left the Bears down 14-0 and out-gained 141-18.
Washington had failed to score more than 20 points in any of five previous road games, yet put 24 on the Bears with Kirk Cousins throwing for 300 yards and completing 24 of 31 passes.
The pace of the offense was puzzling in a game where the Bears needed some momentum and something to change the tempo of a game that was solidly in Washington’s hands. Jay Cutler repeatedly had the play clock running down with his linemen in their stances.
The specter of penalties arose on offense, with four of the five offensive linemen accounting for a walk-off, several in costly situations.
“It wasn’t that they had 400 yards or 500 yards or something crazy,” Fox said. “It was just that we shot ourselves in the foot at inopportune times, whether it was a play on defense, an execution on offense, pass blocking, catching the ball or missing a guy. We don’t have a large margin for error, and it’s kind of the same song for too many weeks.”
Jay Cutler records second-highest QB rating of season.
By John Mullin
Jay Cutler shook off three sacks, one resulting in a strip-fumble, to complete 19 of 31 passes for 319 yards and touchdown passes to Alshon Jeffery and Zach Miller, without throwing an interception. His rating of 117.0 was his second-highest of the season and he gave his bumbling offense a number of chances with 10-for-15 passing for 161 yards in the first quarter.
Cutler maintained composure in getting the offense from the Chicago 15 to the Washington 32 with a chance to tie or go ahead in the final minutes Sunday. But incompletes on throws to Jeffery and Eddie Royal forced the Bears to try a field goal from 50 yards.
“I feel like we’ve been in so many of these,” Cutler said. “In the games we win, we figure out a way. In the games we don’t, we don’t figure out a way… .These have been some pretty tough games to swallow at this point.”
Cutler missed on a couple of makeable throws, most notably on a toss to Jeffery in the end zone when the receiver had deep position on his defenders. Cutler underthrew, nearly resulting in an interception instead of putting the football where Jeffery or no one could make the catch.
“I thought I had him,” Cutler said. “I tried to give it a shot.”
Cutler’s one turnover came on a strip-sack by linebacker Trent Murphy but overall Cutler rebounded reasonably well from what had been his poorest game, against San Francisco.
“I think, almost good enough,” said coach John Fox. “Just like all of us.”
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Crawford pitches second straight shutout as Blackhawks down Canucks.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/Getty Images)
Complacency. It can be dangerous, especially in sports.
Corey Crawford admitted he got complacent for a few games this season. He wasn’t sharp. He was allowing goals that were costing the Blackhawks games. But lately, he’s gotten back to where he was at the start of the season. So have his results.
Crawford stopped all 30 shots he saw for his second consecutive shutout and Patrick Kane extended his point streak to 26 consecutive games as the Blackhawks beat the Vancouver Canucks, 4-0, on Sunday night. Duncan Keith’s power-play goal in the first period proved to be the game winner. Dennis Rasmussen scored his second goal in his four games here, and Andrew Shaw, on an empty net, scored his fifth of the season. Brandon Mashinter scored his first career NHL goal with 9.8 seconds remaining in regulation.
Kane’s point streak, which came from his secondary assist on Keith’s goal, gives him the longest point streak of any active NHL player.
For the Blackhawks, who have won four of their last five games, it was another solid home victory. For Crawford, it was his fourth shutout of the season and another outstanding game.
“I kind of had that in the beginning of the year, then I got a little complacent,” said Crawford, who added he fought through the complacency. “Just keep battling, stay with it. It ... wasn’t full 60-minute games before. I’m just trying to pay attention, be focused all game.”
Crawford needed to be again in this one against the Canucks, who scored on Crawford five times in their Nov. 21 meeting. On Sunday, Crawford was ready for everything from a Canucks team that had some prime scoring opportunities.
“He looks composed, square, solid, anticipating, quick, very efficient, rebound control in order. He made some nice plays with the puck as well, alleviating the fore-check pressure,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Real good, fun to watch.”
The Blackhawks clung to a 1-0 lead until midway through the third period. Bryan Bickell’s shot was headed to the net, and Rasmussen pushed it over to make sure for a 2-0 lead at 11:36. While it was nearly Bickell’s first goal of the season, it was nevertheless his first assist of the season.
“I felt a little bad when I saw the replay. My instincts just took me there, and I played the puck,” Rasmussen said. “I didn’t know if I had a guy on my back. I just wanted to make sure it was in. But when I saw the replay, I wished I’d just let that puck goal so Bicksie could have scored.”
Shaw and Mashinter added their goals in the final 31 seconds of regulation. The Blackhawks have got a nice formula going right now. Their power play is working, as is their penalty kill. They’re getting more balance on their lines. And their goaltending is back to being anything but complacent.
“He looks ready. His quickness and anticipation, focus, following the puck, he’s been tracking it real nice,” Quenneville said of Crawford. “It looks like it’s going to be tough to beat him.”
Point Streak Update: Patrick Kane's point streak reaches 26 games.
By Tracey Myers
It’s another night, another point for Patrick Kane. And now, among active players, he stands alone.
Kane had the secondary assist on Duncan Keith’s power-play goal, giving him a 26-game point streak as the Blackhawks faced the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night. Kane now has the longest point streak for active NHL players. Entering this game he and Sidney Crosby each had 25-game point streaks, Crosby’s coming Nov. 5-Dec. 28, 2010.
Corey Crawford admitted he got complacent for a few games this season. He wasn’t sharp. He was allowing goals that were costing the Blackhawks games. But lately, he’s gotten back to where he was at the start of the season. So have his results.
Crawford stopped all 30 shots he saw for his second consecutive shutout and Patrick Kane extended his point streak to 26 consecutive games as the Blackhawks beat the Vancouver Canucks, 4-0, on Sunday night. Duncan Keith’s power-play goal in the first period proved to be the game winner. Dennis Rasmussen scored his second goal in his four games here, and Andrew Shaw, on an empty net, scored his fifth of the season. Brandon Mashinter scored his first career NHL goal with 9.8 seconds remaining in regulation.
Kane’s point streak, which came from his secondary assist on Keith’s goal, gives him the longest point streak of any active NHL player.
For the Blackhawks, who have won four of their last five games, it was another solid home victory. For Crawford, it was his fourth shutout of the season and another outstanding game.
“I kind of had that in the beginning of the year, then I got a little complacent,” said Crawford, who added he fought through the complacency. “Just keep battling, stay with it. It ... wasn’t full 60-minute games before. I’m just trying to pay attention, be focused all game.”
Crawford needed to be again in this one against the Canucks, who scored on Crawford five times in their Nov. 21 meeting. On Sunday, Crawford was ready for everything from a Canucks team that had some prime scoring opportunities.
“He looks composed, square, solid, anticipating, quick, very efficient, rebound control in order. He made some nice plays with the puck as well, alleviating the fore-check pressure,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Real good, fun to watch.”
The Blackhawks clung to a 1-0 lead until midway through the third period. Bryan Bickell’s shot was headed to the net, and Rasmussen pushed it over to make sure for a 2-0 lead at 11:36. While it was nearly Bickell’s first goal of the season, it was nevertheless his first assist of the season.
“I felt a little bad when I saw the replay. My instincts just took me there, and I played the puck,” Rasmussen said. “I didn’t know if I had a guy on my back. I just wanted to make sure it was in. But when I saw the replay, I wished I’d just let that puck goal so Bicksie could have scored.”
Shaw and Mashinter added their goals in the final 31 seconds of regulation. The Blackhawks have got a nice formula going right now. Their power play is working, as is their penalty kill. They’re getting more balance on their lines. And their goaltending is back to being anything but complacent.
“He looks ready. His quickness and anticipation, focus, following the puck, he’s been tracking it real nice,” Quenneville said of Crawford. “It looks like it’s going to be tough to beat him.”
Point Streak Update: Patrick Kane's point streak reaches 26 games.
By Tracey Myers
It’s another night, another point for Patrick Kane. And now, among active players, he stands alone.
Kane had the secondary assist on Duncan Keith’s power-play goal, giving him a 26-game point streak as the Blackhawks faced the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night. Kane now has the longest point streak for active NHL players. Entering this game he and Sidney Crosby each had 25-game point streaks, Crosby’s coming Nov. 5-Dec. 28, 2010.
Kane now has 16 goals and 24 assists (40 points) during his point streak. He’s also close to joining those listed in the point-streak top 10.
Patrick Kane extends point streak as Blackhawks blank Jets. (Friday night's game, 12/11/2015).
By Tracey Myers
The Blackhawks couldn’t have played much worse than they did on Thursday night. They certainly couldn’t have started worse.
So with that lousy game in mind they did an about-face in just about every category on Friday, including that start.
Patrick Kane scored to extend his point streak to 25 games and Jonathan Toews added a power-play goal as the Blackhawks beat the Winnipeg Jets 2-0 on Friday night. The Blackhawks rebounded from Thursday with a complete effort; their power play supplied two goals, their penalty kill shutting the Jets down, they blocked 23 shots and Corey Crawford stopped all 25 shots he saw.
“That really wasn’t our team at all,” Crawford said of Thursday’s game. “Usually you bounce back after games like that and tonight was really good. The power play was rolling and our PK was solid. It was a good game for us.
And it was another good night for Kane, whose power-play goal ties him with Sidney Crosby for the longest point streak since the 1992-93 season. Crosby’s 25-game point streak was from Nov. 5-Dec. 28, 2010.
“I think it's one of those things when you realize what elite company you're in, when you're with these great players that have had these great streaks, it definitely humbles you,” Kane said. “I obviously feel honored and very fortunate to be involved with names like those. It's something I'm trying not to think about too much. I just go out and play the game. The last few games, I don't think I've played as well as I probably could've, but sometimes you end up with those chances and you can take advantage of getting points.”
Trevor Daley returned after missing the last two games with a neck injury sustained on Sunday against the Jets. He played just under nine minutes and was paired with David Rundblad, who had the secondary assist on Kane’s goal.
Toews gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead just 4:34 into the game. He, Marian Hossa and Andrew Shaw were all around the net and each got a whack at Rundblad’s shot from the blue line.
Midway through the second period Kane added to his point streak, scoring off a no-look pass from Teuvo Teravainen with 12 seconds remaining on the power play for a 2-0 lead.
“Great goal, what a play, what a shot. It continues on so it’s been fun to be a part of it, fun watching him continue to find different ways,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “He has some different looks every single night and if you’re an opponent it’s tough to contain.”
Crawford wasn’t as busy as Tuesday, when he stopped 36 of 37 shots against the Nashville Predators. But the Jets looked their best in the third, when Crawford stopped all 13 of their shots.
“I mean, they had some zone time in the second; they just didn’t get many shots on it. Our guys did a great job of keeping them to the outside and blocking shots,” Crawford said. “They had some momentum in the third but we played well throughout the whole game. That was a good comeback win after last night.”
It certainly erased the lousy feeling from Thursday night. The Blackhawks figured they had a rebound game in them. They got the necessary performance from everyone on Friday.
“I think even not having played so well early in [Thursday’s] game, Kaner scores that goal to make it 3-1, they were just really on their game and made sure they took the momentum back. They were feeling it,” Toews said. “But we knew tonight was going to be a different story. We could bring that energy and momentum early on and you saw what happened.”
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Philadelphia 76ers-Chicago Bulls Preview.
By JOHN KOSIK
Philadelphia (1-24) 
@ 
Chicago (13-8)
@ Chicago (13-8) Although the Chicago Bulls have been dealing with inconsistency, the next game offers some wiggle room as they try to extend their home dominance over the NBA's worst team.
The Philadelphia 76ers have won only once at United Center since the start of 2009, and while their winless road start pales in comparison to some of the worst in league history, they'll try to avoid falling to 0-15 on Monday night.
The Bulls (13-8) had lost three in a row before bouncing back with home victories over the Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans. With their offense plodding along and the starters shooting poorly, Chicago got a huge lift from its reserves in Saturday's 98-94 victory over the Pelicans. The Bulls were down six entering the fourth, but Aaron Brooks scored 15 of his 17 in the quarter to lead a bench that contributed 52 points.
The Bulls (13-8) had lost three in a row before bouncing back with home victories over the Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans. With their offense plodding along and the starters shooting poorly, Chicago got a huge lift from its reserves in Saturday's 98-94 victory over the Pelicans. The Bulls were down six entering the fourth, but Aaron Brooks scored 15 of his 17 in the quarter to lead a bench that contributed 52 points.
"That second group's movement, pace - that's how we want to play," said coach Fred Hoiberg, who engineered a fast-paced offense at Iowa State before joining the Bulls.
Doug McDermott scored 12 points while Joakim Noah and Nikola Mirotic each added 10 to help pick up the slack for the team's struggling trio of stars.
Pau Gasol (18) and Jimmy Butler (15) put up points, but Derrick Rose had nine - although his 15-footer with 11.5 seconds left provided the final margin - and the three shot a combined 14 of 41. Seven of Butler's points and six of Gasol's came on free throws.
"They were having fun out there," Hoiberg said of his reserves. "It was just such a grind-out, slow-motion-type of a game, and we finally got a little energy injected out there. They were moving. It was fun to watch."
The bench players could see extended minutes against the 76ers (1-24), who have lost six in a row and 10 of 11 visits to Chicago. During their current six-game overall slide, the Sixers managed to lose by 51 last Monday against a San Antonio team that rested Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard.
In the first meeting at Philadelphia on Nov. 9, McDermott and Mirotic actually started and played well while logging over 28 minutes apiece. Mirotic shot 6 of 11 with a team-high 20 points and McDermott was 7 for 15 with a career-best 18 in a 111-88 victory.
The 76ers' season of woe continued with a 96-76 loss at Toronto on Sunday in which they shot 33.3 percent and fell apart after pulling within six midway through the fourth.
"We still played good defense, but we had trouble scoring near the end of the game," said rookie Jahlil Okafor, who had 23 points and 14 rebounds.
Philadelphia had at least 20 turnovers for the seventh time, and it proved rather costly as the Raptors scored 28 points off the 22 miscues. The Sixers lead the NBA with 542 points allowed off turnovers - 72 more than second-worst Houston. From the Rockets down to 10th-place Portland, the difference is 52.
Although they fell to 0-14 on the road in the opener of a three-game trip that concludes Wednesday in Atlanta, the 76ers have quite a long way to go before being mentioned with the likes of the 1992-93 Dallas Mavericks, who set the record at 0-29.
Still, another loss would make them only the 16th team to lose at least 15 straight road games to begin a season. The most recent was Washington, which opened 0-25 in 2010-11. The only other team to do it in the last 15 years? The Bulls (0-18) in '01-02.
Hoiberg shows Bulls difference in energy, pace in film session.
By Vincent Goodwill
The difference in energy for the Chicago Bulls from the first quarter to the fourth on Saturday was as easily identifiable for Fred Hoiberg as it was the United Center crowd who witnessed the Bulls receive their wake-up call in the nick of time in their 98-94 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
He made sure to show the contrast in Sunday’s film session, hoping the message would translate to the starters.
“It was good. We showed some examples of some really good plays, some really good ball movement, some really good pace,” Hoiberg said. “And we also showed when it wasn’t so pretty, especially in that first half and beginning of the third. Hopefully we learn from that. It was a good session.”
Joakim Noah’s ability to push the ball up the floor, set screens and initiate dribble handoffs as well as his overall relentless activity was a huge key to the Bulls’ fourth-quarter intensity.
Hoiberg is resisting the urge of re-inserting Noah back into the starting lineup, although many will remember Noah was slated to start in Philadelphia on Nov. 9 before his knee began acting up, resulting in his only missed game so far this season.
“We always talk about those things. But again, with that second group, he’s really developed a nice chemistry with those guys,” Hoiberg said. “I’ve liked the dynamic of that second group. I’m getting JO in there pretty early. I think it was the 6 or 7 minute mark yesterday. And that picks up our energy.”
What Hoiberg couldn’t explain is the standing around done by the first unit, the group that doesn’t seem to fully believe in Hoiberg’s system. Yes, Derrick Rose gets the ball up the court in three seconds per Hoiberg’s request but everything else is a struggle.
“That’s a good question. The big thing is just continue to put them in those situations,” Hoiberg said. “That’s what we worked on in practice today. You just hope it carries over. That second group is seeing the success they’ve had because of those situations and now they’re doing it more often because they trust it.
“We gotta get everybody out there doing that. And I’ll say this: Joakim has done a great job the last couple games going into dribble handoffs and flashing to the ball at the right time and getting some good action going on out there.”
Hoiberg was practically giddy at the sight of the second unit putting it altogether, for one of the few times he could see his vision come to fruition. Aaron Brooks scored 15 of his 17 in the fourth, and chalks it up to familiarity.
“We know each other. It’s good to have Niko back, he spaces it out a little bit,” Brooks said. “We just come in and play hard, and guys are hungry and fighting for backup minutes so it brings an extra intensity.
“You wanna come in and be a spark off the bench. Sometimes the starters got it going and the bench doesn’t. I don’t think it’s anything, you just wanna change the rhythm of the game. Just go out there and play your game, I don’t know. I don’t think it’s anything in particular, as far as seeing something different.”
Bulls rally in fourth quarter to beat Davis, Pelicans (Saturday night's game, 12/12/2015)
By Vincent Goodwill
The Bulls want to become this fluid offensive bunch that flows into sets, gets up and down in a hurry while winning pretty.
But winning pretty isn’t an identity that describes this group right now. If they’re gonna win, it’s gonna be ugly, and sometimes ugly has to be beautiful.
After sleepwalking through most of the night, the Bulls pulled it together to knock off the New Orleans Pelicans at the United Center on Saturday, 98-94, with a late fourth-quarter surge that seemed to erase extended stretches of inactivity, and a little disinterest.
The only pretty thing might have been the play of Aaron Brooks, who hit a leaning, floating hook shot with 40.3 seconds left to break a 94-all tie.
For a man that’s been short his entire life, taking such contorting and downright awkward shot attempts come easier than it appears—and returning to the rotation after a few games on the bench, it appears Fred Hoiberg likes using him and Derrick Rose together to close games.
“Aaron was awesome. Out second unit saved the day for us,” Hoiberg said. “They went in there in the last 4-5 minutes of the third and through the fourth and was phenomenal.”
Not to be outdone, Rose, the man who played without a mask, nailed a pull-up jumper with 11.5 seconds remaining to put the game away—his first jump shot attempt and only make.
Brooks only had two going into the fourth but scored 15 in the final 12, as the Bulls struggled for any form of offense all evening.
“I didn’t feel like I was in a zone. I just took open shots,” Brooks said. “I didn’t realize I was in a zone. Just made open shots. I got to the spots I wanted to get to and shots went in.”
Hoiberg had to lean on the bench, as Joakim Noah, Brooks, Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic all scored in double figures to help out the lagging starting unit. More than anything, they played with the type of pace Hoiberg envisioned when he took the job last spring.
The Bulls scored 34 points and shot 65 percent in the fourth quarter.
“It was such a grind out, ugly and slow motion type of game and finally got some energy injected,” Hoiberg said. “It was fun. Fun to watch, fun to sit there and see it as opposed to moseying into our offense.”
Rose scored nine with three assists while Jimmy Butler made just 4 of 15 from the field but scored 15 thanks to some hard drives to the basket and free throws.
Brooks hit two straight triples to start the fourth and tied the game at 70 before Kirk Hinrich hit a corner 3-pointer to finally give the Bulls a lead.
It was short-lived as a five-point lead turned to a one-point deficit when Tyreke Evans hit a wing triple with 7:31 remaining.
Rose’s penetration set up two crucial baskets, a Brooks triple and Pau Gasol midrange jumper, to give the Bulls a 94-91 lead with 2:05 left. Anthony Davis’ three-point play made it nervous time for the Bulls again, but they shut down the lane just enough for the second straight game after their panic-inducing three-game losing streak.
Davis and Evans scored 22 each, but Noah helped hold the Chicago native to just 8 of 24 shooting, making everything difficult aside from a highlight play here and there. Davis finished with 13 rebounds and four blocks but also committed four turnovers.
But the negative signs were still around, the Bulls just overcame it. They shot 42 percent but it was their hot fourth that made it look respectable after they shot 35 percent through three quarters.
The ball movement was choppy and the players often resorted to playing one on one as opposed to flowing through the system. It resulted in a variety of bad shots, bad decisions and plenty of guys standing around.
The Bulls committed seven turnovers in the first eight minutes of the game, being careless and cavalier, allowing the Pelicans to easily get into the passing lanes for steals and easy layups.
“We weren’t making good decisions, weren’t holding guys off and giving them layups at the other end,” Hoiberg said. “We had a nice little flash, a little burst in the second that got us going.”
Alonzo Gee had three steals in the first alone, as he, Evans and Norris Cole repeatedly attacked the Bulls’ defense and dared them to challenge shots at the rim. They were undeterred and the Bulls looked a little out of it until receiving their wake-up call.
Even if they’re playing games that shouldn’t be so close, learning how to win in less than ideal circumstances can only bode well for down the road.
Jason Heyward megadeal reinforces World Series expectations for Cubs.
By Patrick Mooney
Heyward chose the Cubs over the St. Louis Cardinals and agreed to an eight-year, $184 million contract, sources confirmed Friday, reigniting what should be a great rivalry and showing the baseball world this team is absolutely serious about winning it all in 2016.
In Heyward, the Cubs get a 26-year-old outfielder with three Gold Gloves, a career .353 on-base percentage and a reputation for being a professional clubhouse influence. All those attributes – ideal age, elite defensive skills, an ability to grind out at-bats, off-the-field presence – made the Cubs see Heyward as a sound long-term investment.
It’s the targeted approach that led Theo Epstein’s front office to super-utility guy Ben Zobrist and big-game pitcher John Lackey, two players signed within the last week for $88 million combined.
Winning 97 games and two playoff rounds changed the equation for the president of baseball operations, who last month publicly ruled out the idea of doing two nine-figure deals this winter and didn’t say that as a smokescreen.
Working in concert with the Ricketts family and Crane Kenney’s business operations department across the last few weeks, Epstein’s baseball group got creative and freed up more money, using postseason revenues to keep the momentum going.
Heyward reportedly turned down more money – the Washington Nationals were also believed to be heavily involved in the bidding – and received two opt-out clauses. Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Dave Stewart told reporters at the winter meetings that Heyward was “looking for $200 million.”
Yes, Heyward has made only one All-Star team, never driven in more than 82 runs in a season and hit 20-plus homers only once in his career. But at this point, the Cubs don’t need a middle-of-the-order basher with Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant already established as All-Stars.
Heyward is a strong foundation piece in areas where the Cubs are structurally weak, and he wanted to play for a winning team that would appreciate what he brings to the ballpark every day.
Heyward, who grew up in Georgia, debuted with the Atlanta Braves and blasted a three-run homer off Carlos Zambrano in his first big-league at-bat on Opening Day 2010. If the Braves had manipulated the service-time system the way the Cubs did with Bryant, then Heyward wouldn’t have been a free agent this offseason.
While Heyward didn’t necessarily live up to the superstar expectations drawn from that first impression at Turner Field, he’s a well-rounded athlete who’s been top-10 in WAR among National League position players in four of his six seasons.
The Braves traded their hometown, homegrown outfielder to the Cardinals in November 2014, with St. Louis viewing it as a one-year recruiting pitch for Heyward and seeing him as the next core player for an 11-time world champion.
But the Cubs keep selling 1908 and the chance to make history. Zobrist has already said his only goal is to win a World Series in the next four years, and those great expectations will be the same for Heyward.
While the Zobrist move had to be made in concert with the Starlin Castro trade to the New York Yankees, the belief was the Cubs didn’t have a Jorge Soler deal lined up immediately. But this obviously gives the Cubs even more options as they aggressively reshape the team that got swept out of the NL Championship Series.
The New York Mets exposed some free-swinging tendencies in October and defensive issues in the outfield. Heyward can be a left-handed presence near the top of the lineup and a short-term fix in center before moving back to a corner spot.
This comes 12 months after the Cubs gave Jon Lester what had been the richest contract in franchise history, a six-year, $155 million megadeal that accelerated the rebuild in Wrigleyville.
Lester and Lackey will be in a rotation fronted by Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta. Heyward can bat in front of a unanimous Rookie of the Year pick (Bryant) and perennial MVP candidate (Rizzo). Joe Maddon – now a three-time Manager of the Year – will be running the show.
After the delirium of an unexpected playoff run, anything less than a World Series title in 2016 will be a big disappointment.
Why Cubs believe winning the offseason won't be a curse.
By Patrick Mooney
Theo Epstein hasn't been on an offseason roll like this since ... the Boston Red Sox traded Anthony Rizzo to the San Diego Padres in the Adrian Gonzalez deal and signed Carl Crawford to a $142 million contract?
“Expectations got so high,” Epstein remembered. “People were speculating: ‘Is this the greatest team of all-time? A super-team? An uber-team?’”
The 2011 Red Sox started out 0-6 and 2-10, finished August in first place in the American League East and then lost 20 games in September, missing the playoffs in a spectacular collapse that led to manager Terry Francona being forced out and The Boston Globe publishing the fried-chicken-and-beer story.
Tired of the power struggles at Fenway Park and looking for a new challenge, Epstein bolted to Chicago that October for a president’s title with the Cubs and a direct report to ownership.
“It is an unbelievable dynamic the last few years,” Epstein said, “how the winners of the offseason tend to be miserable the following September.”
But Epstein’s front office lobbied chairman Tom Ricketts and Crane Kenney’s business operations department, and the Cubs got creative, pulling off some accounting tricks and reinvesting money generated during a surprising trip to the National League Championship Series. A franchise that usually seems so focused on the future and risk management thought big and acted decisively, trying to win a World Series.
After Heyward agreed to an eight-year, $184 million contract and started trending on Twitter on Friday, Jason Hammel set the bar for the 2016 Cubs at “#162-0.” So there would be no confusion, the veteran pitcher clarified his tweet three minutes later: “Strike that. Reverse it. Let’s make that 173-0.”
After being the fun-loving, out-of-nowhere team that won 97 games last season, the Cubs will now be the hunted.
“The target’s going to be bigger, and I want us to embrace the target,” manager Joe Maddon said during the winter meetings. “The pressure is going to be possibly greater, and I want us to embrace the pressure.
“The bigger target, the greater pressure, I think, equals a grander chance for success. So I’m all about that, and I definitely will bring that to our guys’ attention.
“(With) the accountability of our young players — combined with our veterans — I really believe we could avoid those kind of pitfalls.”
Who knows if this means more or less zoo animals, but the Cubs do have the perfect manager to distract the media, keep the clubhouse loose and make rapid-fire decisions in the dugout.
At least the Cubs haven’t been thrown together like Ozzie Guillen’s reality-show Miami Marlins. The Cubs have their thin-skin moments and certainly try to shape public opinions, but they really don’t care what you think about this trade or that contract or make baseball decisions based on TV ratings or the next morning’s headlines.
The Cubs also have a foundation that appears to be stronger than the White Sox and Padres teams that won last year’s winter meetings — and wound up finishing 37 games out of first place combined.
Lackey probably won’t be amused by the Chicago media or have patience for nonsense questions. It was also interesting to see the mixed reactions to the Lackey signing on Twitter from Cubs fans ready to rubber-stamp any Theo move.
But Maddon worked as Mike Scioscia’s Anaheim Angels bench coach when Lackey beat the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series. Epstein already drew up a five-year, $82.5 million contract with Lackey in Boston, where he reshaped his image after the fried-chicken-and-beer stuff and Tommy John surgery by helping the Red Sox win the 2013 World Series.
Maddon and Epstein insist Lackey brings an edge to the clubhouse, takes charge of the rotation in between starts and pushes teammates to get better.
Zobrist is one of Maddon’s favorite players ever after spending nine seasons together with the Tampa Bay Rays and transforming a last-place team into a World Series contender.
Heyward is getting paid like a superstar now, but the Cubs really just need him to be a supporting player who does the little things, grinding out at-bats, getting on base, going first-to-third and performing at a Gold-Glove level.
The idea of “don’t try to be something you’re not” probably appealed to Heyward after being surrounded by so much hype with the Atlanta Braves. This lineup already has 40-homer threats in Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber.
This didn’t create a splash, but the Cubs are feeling optimistic about Adam Warren — the swingman acquired from the New York Yankees in the Starlin Castro trade — and insurance policies like Trevor Cahill, Clayton Richard and Travis Wood. Because as Epstein said: “We’ve been walking a tightrope with our lack of starting-pitching depth.”
The Cubs still haven’t really mortgaged their farm system yet, meaning there should be plenty of trade chips available to get whatever they need leading up to the July 31 deadline.
“Organizations that are the healthiest,” Epstein said, “(with) the most talent coming through the pipeline, the fewest holes, the most areas of surplus and depth, tend to have the least active off-seasons. And those organizations tend to win.
“It means they’re doing something right. It means they have ways to address their needs internally. It means they have a lot of talent spread out in different areas of the organization. The teams that sometimes quote-unquote ‘win the offseason’ do so in response to a glaring need to infuse talent in a number of different areas.
“A healthy organization is not made by virtue of one busy offseason. It’s really years and years and years of planning, hiring scouts and development people and putting processes into play and seeing that approach manifest over time.”
Whether or not the Cubs are paper tigers, the only guarantee is they will be the biggest story in the baseball world in 2016.
Jeff Samardzija comments on struggles with White Sox in 2015.
CSN Staff
Samardzija was officially introduced as the newest member of the Giants on Friday, and talked about what went wrong with the White Sox, where he recorded an 11-13 record and a career-worst 4.96 ERA as a starter.
“When you’re tipping your pitches it’s hard to have a ton of success out there,” Samardzija said during his introductory press conference. “Everyone's got film on you. Hours and hours and years and years, and you need to stay ahead of that. If anything it just made me realize that you do always have to stay on top of little things like that, how long you’re holding the ball when you’re set, how long you’re holding it when you’re throwing a slider, when you’re throwing a splitter.
“Where are you looking when there’s a runner on first? Are you checking on him or are you just going home? That’s the aspect of this game that’s so great, is you can always get better. What’s pushing you is the competition, and there’s always someone watching you to try and find that hole that you have. And once you come to realize that in this game it doesn't stop, you're never content with where you're at, you're going to continue to improve and be really good."
Samardzija declined a one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer from the White Sox in November.
He was acquired in a six-player deal from the Oakland Athletics last December.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Snedeker, Dufner team up to win the Franklin Templeton Shootout.
By Ryan Ballengee
Jason Dufner and Brandt Snedeker closed 2015 with a bang on Saturday with a win at the Franklin Templeton Shootout.
The duo shot a 11-under 61 in the final round of the two-man, 54-hole event to win by two shots over the team of Harris English and Matt Kuchar on 30 under par.
Daniel Berger and Charley Hoffman finished in third among the 12-team field at 27 under.
In the final day of the competition, the two-man teams played the better-ball format, where the better score of the two players counted on each hole. When the event opened on Thursday, the players competed in a scramble, where each player tees off, then the team selects the better drive as the position from which hit their approach, and so on, until the ball is holed. The Friday format was a modified alternate shot, where both players teed off, then selected the better driver, from which the player whose drive was not selected hit the next shot, and so on, until the hole was completed.
For Snedeker, this is his second, albeit an unofficial, win of the year. He won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February. After four consecutive top-10 finishes in May and June, he had not been in the top 10 since.
Dufner, who divorced wife Amanda in March, has struggled to regain the form that saw him win the 2013 PGA Championship. However, in his final official PGA Tour start of 2015, Dufner finished T-9 at The RSM Classic.
Report: R&A will not bring British Open to Trump-owned Turnberry.
By Ryan Ballengee
The golf world is continuing to distance itself from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, with more overseas influences deciding it's not worth it to do business with Trump.
According to The Independent in the U.K., the R&A has privately decided it will not bring the British Open Championship to the Trump-owned Turnberry in Scotland so long as Trump owns the property. Trump bought Turnberry, which hosted the Women's British Open this past summer, in 2014 from a Dubai investment group and is in the middle of a reported $250 million renovation of the property, including renovations on the Alisa course which last hosted the Open in 2009.
Prior to Trump's proposal of a "total shutdown" of Muslims entering the U.S., the resort was in line to host the 2020 or 2021 Open. However, several quotes attributed in the Independent report to nameless R&A members suggest Trump has crossed the line too many times with his xenophobic rhetoric, not only directed at Muslims, but also Mexican and Latin immigrants, as well other groups.
“One word was thrown around: Enough," said an unnamed member of the R&A's championship committee.
On Friday, the PGA Tour said on Friday that it will reevaluate its relationship with Trump and his Doral Resort as host of the WGC-Cadillac Championship beyond 2017.
The European Tour, which co-sanctions the World Golf Championships events with the PGA Tour and others, also said it will soon announced plans concerning the future rotation of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. Trump has claimed his Trump International Golf Links in Scotland will host the 2017 perennial precursor to the Open.
Trump's golf interests did get some good news over the weekend. The National reports Trump's name has been restored to signage leading into a Dubai property on which he is collaborating to build a Gil Hanse-designed course. Trump's name and likeness were removed from Damac Properties' Akoya by Damac development on Thursday, two days after a company official defended the company's relationship with Trump. The decision may be motivated by contractual obligations, Damac refuses comments on any matters related to Trump.
PGA Tour considers moving WGC from Trump's Doral.
By Ryan Ballengee
In light of Trump's escalating anti-Islamic rhetoric, including a call for a "total shutdown" of Muslims entering the United States, the PGA Tour, USGA and PGA of America, all of which have formal commitments to play events on Trump-owned or managed courses, have come under pressure to sever ties with the Republican presidential front runner.
On Friday, the PGA Tour has planted the seeds for possibly ending its relationship with Donald Trump and his Trump Doral resort near Miami.
"We continue to stand by our earlier statement, and the statement of other golf organizations, that Mr. Trump's comments are inconsistent with our strong commitment to an inclusive and welcoming environment in the game of golf," the PGA Tour said in a statement.
The Tour, which holds the annual WGC-Cadillac Championship at Trump Doral and the Puerto Rico Open at a now-bankrupt facility which licensed Trump's name to put on the course, will take a look at moving the limited-field, big-money event after next year.
"The PGA Tour has had a 53-year commitment to the Doral community, the greater Miami area and the charities that have benefited from the tournament," the statement continued. "Given this commitment, we are moving forward with holding the 2016 event at the Blue Monster.
"Immediately after the completion of the 2016 tournament, we will explore all options regarding the event's future."
The USGA and PGA of America are yet to offer an update on the status of their events planned for Trump facilities, including the 2017 U.S. Women's Open and Senior PGA Championship, as well the 2022 PGA Championship.
NASCAR: Top 10 Sprint Cup Driver Ratings from 2015.
By Daniel McFadin
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
One of those is driver rating.
NASCAR tabulates a driver rating based on totals in wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, led most laps and lead-lap finish. There is a maximum 150 points per race. They must have raced in 75 percent of scheduled point-paying races.
That last part means you won’t see Kyle Busch on this list after he missed the first 11 races of the year due to injury. In 2014, Busch ended the year with a rating of 89.2, the 10th best.
Here is a look at the top 10 drivers in driver rating.
- Kevin Harvick (119.0) – The Stewart-Haas racing driver finished 2015 exactly where he did in 2014 when he won the championship with a rating of 110.5.
- Joey Logano (106.5) – Winning the most races in 2015 wasn’t enough for Logano, who moved up one spot from 2014 (110.2). He replaced Jeff Gordon in the runner-up spot.
- Kurt Busch (104.2) – Busch didn’t even crack the top 10 in 2014 (11th, 87.8).
- Brad Keselowski (101.7) – The 2012 Cup champion may have had a lower number than his 2014 rating (103.7), but he finished 2015 in the same spot.
- Martin Truex Jr. (99.7) – The first driver not to surpass 100.0 in their rating, Truex will be OK since he ended 2014 with a rating of 71.2 in 23rd.
- Jimmie Johnson (99.3) – The six-time champion dropped one spot from his 2014 total when he rated 99.1.
- Matt Kenseth (99.1) – Kenseth finished the year with the seventh-best rating for the second year in a row. In 2014, he earned a 93.1 rating.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (97.1) – The Hendrick Motorsports star slipped two spot from his 2014 final standing. He finished with the a 97.8 rating then.
- Carl Edwards (95.7) – His first year with Joe Gibbs Racing saw Edwards jump seven spots from 17th in 2014, when he finished with a rating of 80.9.
- Denny Hamlin (95.3) – Down two spots from 2014, when he finished with a rating of 91.5.
Top 10 Xfinity Series Driver Ratings For 2015.
By Daniel McFadin
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo/Yahoo.Com)
Luckily, the driver rating stat is here to help make the picture look a bit clearer for the 2015 season.
NASCAR tabulates the driver rating based on totals in wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, led most laps and lead-lap finish. There is a maximum 150 points per race. They must have raced in 75 percent of scheduled point-paying races.
Last year, the only Sprint Cup drivers in the top 10 were Kyle Busch, who had the top rating, and Kyle Larson.
This year, there are none.
Here’s the top 10 driver ratings for the Xfinity Series.
- Regan Smith (100.7) – Smith finished the season fourth in the points, but he was one of two drivers to exceed 100 in their rating. Smith finished the 2014 season seventh this category.
- Chase Elliott (100.4) – The 2014 Xfinity champion gave JR Motorsports a sweep of the top two spots in driver rating. Elliott had been the top Xfinity regular in 2014 (second, 108.6).
- Chris Buescher (98.4) – The 2015 Xfinity champion moved up six spots from his 2014 total (88.4) with help from his two wins (Iowa, Dover).
- Ty Dillon (97.3) – Despite going winless, Dillon moved up one spot from his final 2014 standing.
- Brian Scott (96.4) – Scott swapped spots with Dillon from last year. Scott earned a 101.0 rating in 2014.
- Daniel Suarez (94.5) – The Joe Gibbs Racing rookie was the team’s only full-time driver. In 2014, JGR had Kyle Busch leading the way with 130.1 rating.
- Darrell Wallace Jr. (90.3) – The Roush Fenway Racing driver cracked the top 10 in his rookie season.
- Elliott Sadler (88.6) – Sadler finished sixth in the points standings, a career low. He earned a rating of 98.3 in 2014, which was the sixth best.
- Brendan Gaughan (87.2) – Improved one spot from his 2014 total (81.9).
- Ryan Reed (75.5) – The only driver among the bottom seven of the top 10 who won a race in 2015 (Daytona I).
SOCCER: USWNT tops China in Abby Wambach’s penultimate game.
By Andy Edwards
(Photo/NBCSports.Com)
The United States was coming off a 6-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in Texas on Thursday, part of the team’s victory tour following the World Cup in Canada this past summer.
The Americans, led by Carli Lloyd with three goals, beat Japan 5-2 in the World Cup final. China advanced to the quarterfinals but fell to the United States 1-0.
China coach Hao Wei stepped down after the tournament and was replaced by Bruno Bini of France in September.
National team newcomer Dunn scored in the 39th minute, blasting the ball through traffic in the box and past goalkeeper Zhao Lina. Two minutes later, Alex Morgan appeared to score but was ruled offside.
Press, who scored three goals as a sub against Trinidad and Tobago, scored about a minute after entering the match in the 79th minute. It was her 10th goal of the year.
The victory tour concludes Wednesday with a rematch against China in New Orleans. The match will be emotional because it will be Abby Wambach’s last with the team. The veteran forward, who has scored more international goals than any other player, announced this fall that she is retiring.
Wambach joins several national team players who have retired following the World Cup, including Lauren Holiday, Laurie Chalupny and Shannon Boxx.
Wambach came into Sunday’s match in the 79th minute to the roar of the crowd of 19,066 – a record for the women’s team in Arizona.
The victory tour not only celebrates the World Cup title, but it serves as preparation for the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament next February in Texas.
As a result, U.S. coach Jill Ellis is looking at some new faces. On Sunday she started starting Alyssa Naeher in goal rather than Hope Solo.
Naeher came up with a big save in the final seconds. She was making her fourth appearance with the national team.
China’s bid to make the field for Rio 2016 comes at the AFC qualifying tournament in March.
The United States is now 20-1-4 in 2015, with the lone loss coming against France in February in the run-up to the World Cup. The team is 10-0-2 in the United States.
Stanford thumps Clemson, 4-0, to win NCAA men’s title.
Associated Press
(Photo/NBCSports.Com)
U.S. national team forward Jordan Morris scored twice to lead Stanford to its first NCAA title in men’s soccer with a 4-0 win over Clemson in Sunday’s final.
The Cardinal (18-2-3) needed just 87 seconds to take the lead when Corey Baird and Eric Verso helped set up Morris for his first goal.
Morris scored again in the 51st minute to put Stanford up 2-0. Brandon Vincent converted a penalty kick 20 minutes later to make it 3-0.
Verso closed out the scoring in the 74th minute.
The Tigers (17-3-3) didn’t score in either game in the College Cup, winning on penalty kicks in the semifinals.
La Liga roundup: Barca blow lead, but Real Madrid lose; Atleti-co-top.
By Andy Edwards
A roundup of all of the weekend’s action in Spain’s top flight:
Barcelona 2-2 Deportivo La Coruna
Barcelona blew a two-goal lead, at home, to drop a pair of points on Saturday. Up 2-0 after 62 minutes thanks to a stunning free kick from Lionel Messi (WATCH HERE) and a laser-like first league goal of the season for Ivan Rakitic (below video), the Blaugrana conceded in the 77th and 86th minutes. With the draw, Luis Enrique’s side leads La Liga only on goal differential, as Atletico Madrid took advantage of Saturday’s slip-up and joined them on 35 points this weekend.
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
Atleti were down 1-0 after 27 minutes, but goals scored by Saul Niguez (45th minute) and Antoine Griezmann (67th minute) inspired the Rojiblancos to victory and a share of the league lead. The game-winner gives Griezmann eight league goals on the season.
Villarreal 1-0 Real Madrid
With their fiercest rivals level on 35 points, we now turn to a lowly Real Madrid side which currently sits five points adrift in third after a 1-0 away defeat to fifth-place Villarreal on Sunday. Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Roberto Soldado scored the game’s only goal (below video), in the 8th minute. Madrid held 65 percent of the game’s possession and fired 20 total shots, but manager to put just one on target over 90 minutes. Madrid have now lost three of their last five league games.
Sevilla 2-0 Sporting Gijon
Sevilla rode a brace from Kevin Gameiro to all three points at home against Sporting Gijon, a result which pushes last year’s fifth-place finishers and Europa League winners up to seventh, with a nightmare start to their season now squarely in the rearview mirror.
Elsewhere in La Liga
Celta Vigo 1-0 Espanyol
Eibar 1-1 Valencia
Getafe 1-1 Real Sociedad
Levante 1-2 Granada
Las Palmas 1-0 Real Betis
Rayo Vallecano 1-2 Malaga
Serie A roundup: Inter cruise to stay top, but Juve making their move.
By Andy Edwards
By Andy Edwards
A roundup of all of the weekend’s action in Italy’s top flight:
Udinese 0-4 Inter Milan
Inter Milan’s stay atop the Serie A table will last at least two weeks more after Roberto Mancini’s side hammered Udinese on Saturday. 22-year-old Mauro Icardi, who led the league in goals scored last season, scored twice for the visitors, and Stevan Jovetic and Marcelo Brozovic added single tallies of their own for a resounding 4-0 away victory. The victory is Inter’s 11th of the league season (16 games played) and puts them four points clear of second, on 36 points.
Udinese 0-4 Inter Milan
Inter Milan’s stay atop the Serie A table will last at least two weeks more after Roberto Mancini’s side hammered Udinese on Saturday. 22-year-old Mauro Icardi, who led the league in goals scored last season, scored twice for the visitors, and Stevan Jovetic and Marcelo Brozovic added single tallies of their own for a resounding 4-0 away victory. The victory is Inter’s 11th of the league season (16 games played) and puts them four points clear of second, on 36 points.
Napoli 0-0 Roma
Currently sitting four points back of Inter is Napoli, who held nearly two-thirds of the game’s possession, but could only muster a draw at home against Roma on Sunday. Ever since they beat Inter on Nov. 30, putting themselves top of the league for the first time in 25 years, Napoli have won just one of six possible points. Roma, meanwhile, are winless in their last six games (all competitions) including their last four in the league.
Juventus 3-1 Fiorentina
Juventus, the four-time reigning Serie A champions, were always going to put together a fine run of form and quickly ascend the league table after some early-season struggles brought about by the departures of Arturo Vidal, Carlos Tevez and Andrea Pirlo. Six straight league wins would perhaps indicate that time is now. Sunday’s triumph over third-place Fiorentina was no. 6 for Massimiliano Allegri’s side. Juve went a goal down in the 3rd minute, but quickly equalized through Juan Cuadrado three minutes later. Mario Mandzukic put the home side ahead in the 80th minute and 22-year-old Paulo Dybala bagged his eighth league goal of the season in the 91st to complete the scoring.
AC Milan 1-1 Hellas Verona
A 10-man AC Milan side drew 1-1 at home against last-place Hellas Verona on Sunday. Nigel de Jong was shown a straight red card in the 56th minute, four minutes after Carlos Bacca put Milan up 1-0. 38-year-old Luca Toni converted the ensuing penalty kick to equalize and win Verona their seventh point of the season. Milan, meanwhile, sit seventh in the league, five points back of Fiorentina, who currently occupy the third and final UEFA Champions League place.
Elsewhere in Serie A
Genoa 0-1 Bologna
Palermo 4-1 Frosinone
Chievo 1-0 Atalanta
Empoli 3-0 Carpi
Sassuolo vs. Torino — PPD
Monday’s Serie A schedule
Lazio vs. Sampdoria (2:45 p.m. ET)
NCAAFB: Derrick Henry joins an even more exclusive fraternity with Heisman Trophy win.
By Kevin McGuire
(Photo/Kelly Kline/Heisman Trust via AP)
When Alabama running back Derrick Henry was named the winner of the 2015 Heisman Trophy Saturday night in New York City, the Crimson Tide star joined the exclusive fraternity of Heisman Trophy winners. This is often referred to as the most exclusive fraternity in sports, as only one player per year is inducted into the club every season since 1935. But Henry joined an even more exclusive club in college football history with his Heisman Trophy win by becoming the 22nd player to win each of the three major individual awards in college football; the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year.
USC’s O.J. Simpson was the first player to win all three major awards in the same season, doing so in 1968. Simpson actually prevented UCLA’s Gary Beban from being the first triple crown award winner in college football when he was named the inaugural Walter Camp Award winner in 1967. Beban won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award that season. Stanford’s Jim Plunkett became the second player to sweep the three individual honors in 1970, and Penn State’s John Cappelletti swept the awards in 1973.
Henry is the fourth player from the SEC to win all three major awards, joining Georgia’s Herschel Walker, Florida’s Danny Wuerffel and Auburn’s Cam Newton. Henry is also the first running back to pull off the feat since Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne took all three honors in 1999. Ricky Williams of Texas did it the previous season in 1998 as well. Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota won all three individual awards last season as well. Alabama's A.J. McCarron prevented Florida State’s Jameis Winston from winning all three awards by being named the Maxwell Award winner in 2013. Alabama’s last Heisman Trophy winner before Henry, Mark Ingram in 2009, actually prevented Texas quarterback Colt McCoy from pulling off the triple award feat. McCoy won the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year awards in that 2009 season.
Players to win Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year in Same Season
- O.J. Simpson, USC (1968)
- Jim Plunkett, Stanford (1970)
- John Cappelletti, Penn State (1973)
- Archie Griffin, Ohio State (1975)
- Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh (1976)
- Charles White, USC (1979)
- Marcus Allen, USC (1981)
- Herschel Walker, Georgia (1982)
- Mike Rozier, Nebraska (1983)
- Doug Flutie, Boston College (1984)
- Vinny Testaverde, Miami (1986)
- Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State (1988)
- Desmond Howard, Michigan (1991)
- Gino Torretta, Miami (1992)
- Charlie Ward, Florida State (1993)
- Eddie Georgia, Ohio State (1995)
- Danny Wuerffel, Florida (1996)
- Ricky Williams, Texas (1998)
- Ron Dayne, Wisconsin (1999)
- Cam Newton, Auburn (2010)
- Marcus Mariota, Oregon (2014)
- Derrick Henry, Alabama (2015)
Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey and Deshaun Watson headline AP All-America team.
By Zach Barnett
(AP Photo)
They’ve all taken home more significant honors this season, but the decorated trio of Alabama running back Derrick Henry, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson added yet another skin to their walls Sunday when the Associated Press named them their All-America first teams.
The SEC led the way with six first-teamers, followed by the Big Ten’s five and the Big 12’s four. Alabama and Baylor were the most decorated teams as each boasted three first-teamers. Clemson, Stanford, and Ohio State placed two players apiece on the first team.
First Team Offense
QB – Deshaun Watson, Clemson
RB – Derrick Henry, Alabama; Leonard Fournette, LSU
OT – Taylor Decker, Ohio State; Spencer Drango, Baylor
OG – Joshua Garnett, Stanford; Landon Turner, North Carolina
C – Jack Allen, Michigan State
WR – Corey Coleman, Baylor; Josh Doctson, TCU
TE – Hunter Henry, Arkansas
AP – Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
K – Ka’imi Fairbairn, UCLA
First Team Defense
DE – Shaq Lawson, Clemson; Carl Nassib, Penn State
DT – A’Shawn Robinson, Alabama; Andrew Billings, Baylor
LB – Reggie Ragland, Alabama; Tyler Matakevich, Temple; Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
S – Jeremy Cash, Duke; Vonn Bell, Ohio State
CB – Desmond King, Iowa; Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida
P – Tom Hackett, Utah
Second Team Offense
QB – Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
RB – Dalvin Cook, Florida State; Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State
OT – Jack Conklin, Michigan State; Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame
OG – Sebastian Tretola, Arkansas; Pat Elflein, Ohio State
C – Ryan Kelly, Alabama
WR – Will Fuller, Notre Dame; JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC
TE – Jake Butt, Michigan
AP – Morgan Burns, Kansas State
K – Jake Elliott, Memphis
Second Team Defense
DE – Joey Bosa, Ohio State; DeForest Buckner, Oregon
DT – Robert Nkemdiche, Ohio State; Sheldon Day, Notre Dame
LB – Joe Schobert, Wisconsin; Kentrell Brothers, Missouri; Eric Striker, Oklahoma
S – Trae Elston, Ole Miss; Jayron Kearse, Clemson
CB – Jourdan Lewis, Michigan; Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
S – Drew Kaiser, Texas A&M
Third Team Offense
QB – Keenan Reynolds, Navy
RB – Royce Freeman, Oregon; Larry Rose III, New Mexico State
OT – Jason Spriggs, Indiana; Vadal Alexander, LSU
OG – Dan Feeney, Indiana; Joe Thuney, N.C. State
C – Austin Blythe, Iowa
WR – Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss; Roger Lewis, Bowling Green
TE – Austin Hooper, Stanford
AP – Jakeem Grant, Texas Tech
K – Adam Schneider, Oregon
Third Team Defense
DE – Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State; Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
DT – Jonathan Bullard, Florida; Kenny Clark, UCLA
LB – Su’a Cravens, USC; Blake Martinez, Stanford; Anthony Walker, Northwestern
S – Eddie Jackson, Alabama; Darian Thompson, Boise State
CB – Mackensie Alexander, Clemson; Shawun Lurry, Northern Illinois
P – Hayden Hunt, Colorado State
NCAABKB; SATURDAY’S SNACKS: Marquette hangs on, Texas beats No. 3 North Carolina.
By Scott Phillips
(Photo/Associated Press)
GAME OF THE NIGHT: Texas 84, No. 3 North Carolina 82
The Longhorns picked up the first big win of Shaka Smart’s tenure as head coach, with a Javan Felix jumper as time expired being the difference. Felix scored 25 points and Isaiah Taylor added 18 for Texas, which grabbed 16 offensive rebounds and scored 21 second-chance points. Marcus Paige, who became North Carolina’s all-time leader in made three-pointers, led the Tar Heels with 20 points.
Raphielle Johnson has more about this game here
IMPORTANT OUTCOMES
Marquette 57, Wisconsin 55: The Golden Eagles picked up a huge road win in a rivalry game as they held off Wisconsin’s late charge. Henry Ellenson had a nice effort for Marquette as the freshman big man had 15 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Shooting 52 percent from the floor, Marquette held Wisconsin’s star duo of Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes to a combined 7-for-29 from the floor.
Rob Dauster has more on this one here.
No. 12 Xavier 65, No. 23 Cincinnati 55: Chris Mack’s Musketeers remained undefeated as they beat city rival Cincinnati at the Cintas Center. Myles Davis scored 17 points and Edmond Sumner added 11 for Xavier, which to this point in the season has put together one of the nation’s best résumés. Not only does Xavier have the look of a Big East title contender, but it may be time to discuss them nationally as well.
More about this game can be read here.
Wichita State 67, No. 25 Utah 50: This is the Shockers that everyone figured we would see. Wichita State at full strength dismantled a good Utah team at home. Zach Brown scored 14 points and Markis McDuffie added 13 for the Shockers, who limited the Runnin’ Utes to 34 shot attempts (forcing 19 turnovers helps) and big man Jakob Poeltl to 11 points.
You can read more about this game here.
Boise State 74, No. 24 Oregon 72: Boise State led by as much as 17 in the second half before hanging on to beat the Ducks at Taco Bell Arena. Anthony Drmic scored 19 points to lead the way for the Broncos, while Dylan Brooks (26 points) and Elgin Cook (22) combined to score 48 for the visitors.
You can read more about Boise State’s résumé-building win here.
UCLA 71, No. 20 Gonzaga 66: For the second consecutive Saturday the Bulldogs lost at home to a Pac-12 opponent, as UCLA held on for the win. Isaac Hamilton led four Bruins in double figures with 20 points and reserve Jonah Bolden did a good job of defending Kyle Wiltjer after the All-America candidate got off to a hot start. Wiltjer scored 20 points and Domantas Sabonis 18 for Gonzaga, which once again felt the impact of the absence of the injured Przemek Karnowski.
STARRED
Alex Hamilton, Louisiana Tech: It was a monster day for the senior guard as he poured in 30 points to go along with 11 rebounds, eight assists and three steals. The Bulldogs improved to 8-1 with a win over Louisiana-Lafayette and have won 36 straight home games.
Buddy Hield, Oklahoma: The Sooners had 30 points and five steals from the senior as No. 7 Oklahoma defeated Oral Roberts.
Kahlil Felder, Oakland: Felder’s a talented point guard who flies under the radar nationally. In the Golden Grizzlies’ win at Toledo, Felder accounted for 34 points, three rebounds, six assists and three steals.
STRUGGLED
JaQuan Lyle, Ohio State: The freshman guard for the Buckeyes didn’t have his best effort as he went 0-for-7 from the field with three turnovers in a loss. Lyle was scoreless and had one assist.
Skal Labissiere, Kentucky: The Wildcats picked up a double-digit win over Arizona State but the freshman was held scoreless and fouled out after going 0-for-2 from the field.
Corey Sanders, Rutgers: Tough day for the freshman point guard, as he scored five points on 2-for-12 shooting and committed four turnovers without an assist in an 83-49 loss at George Washington.
OTHER TOP 25 RESULTS
- No. 2 Kansas erased an 11-point halftime deficit to beat Oregon State 82-67 in Kansas City. Wayne Selden Jr. scored 22 points and Frank Mason III added 18 and six assists for the Jayhawks. Tres Tinkle scored a career-high 20 for Oregon State.
- No. 5 Kentucky used a balanced effort to beat Arizona State as Jamal Murray had 17 points and Marcus Lee contributed 14.
- No. 11 Purdue had a big win over Youngstown State as A.J. Hammons and Caleb Swanigan both had 15 points.
- No. 15 Providence is banged up and played without Kris Dunn while Ben Bentil came off the bench, but they beat Bryant after a slow start. Rodney Bullock had 13 points and 14 rebounds in the win for the Friars.
- Kelan Martin had 25 points and 11 rebounds and Roosevelt Jones added 21 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as No. 18 Butler rallied to beat Tennessee.
- Louisville raced past Eastern Michigan as the No. 22 Cardinals were led by 16 points from Damion Lee.
NOTABLE RESULTS
- Cal had a tight win over Saint Mary’s as Ivan Rabb had 15 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.
- UConn, which has struggled with slow starts this season, scored on its first three possessions and beat Ohio State 75-55 in Storrs. Kevin Ollie’s team shot nearly 60 percent from the field, and Omar Calhoun led a balanced effort with 14 points.
- Michigan coasted past winless Delaware State as Caris LeVert had 15 points. Junior point guard Derrick Walton Jr. once again sat out with injury.
- Reggie Upshaw scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as Middle Tennessee beat Auburn 88-81 in overtime in Nashville. Kareem Canty’s three with 1.7 seconds remaining forced overtime, but the Tigers were unable to get over the hump.
- Penn State held off Louisiana-Monroe as Brandon Taylor had 16 points and seven rebounds.
- Illinois defeated UIC at the United Center in Chicago as Malcolm Hill had 22 points.
- Georgetown raced past UNC Wilmington as D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera had 29 points.
- It wasn’t pretty for Ole Miss on the road, but they outlasted Southeast Missouri State as Stefan Moody had 28 points.
- Nice win for Georgia State over Old Dominion as Jeff Thomas led with 18 points.
- Rashun Davis has now hit game-winning shots against two schools located in Washington, D.C. His 25-footer with one second remaining in double overtime gave Radford a 92-91 win at Howard. Last month, he led the Highlanders to a win at Georgetown.
- George Washington moved to 9-1 on the season with an 83-49 whipping of Rutgers in the nation’s capital. The Scarlet Knights were once again without Deshaun Freeman, and the Colonials used their 1-3-1 zone to harass Corey Sanders into a rough afternoon at the point (five points, zero assists, four turnovers).
- Chattanooga went to Dayton and ended the Flyers’ 26-game home win streak, winning 61-59. Greg Pryor led the Mocs offensively with 15 points, and Dayton shot 14-for-26 from the foul line.
- Jalen Jones went for 25 points and nine rebounds as Texas A&M beat Kansas State 78-66 in College Station. Wesley Iwundu scored 23 to lead K-State, which shot just 5-for-20 from three.
- Lavon Long led a balanced team effort with 19 points as Siena beat rival Albany 78-70. The Great Danes shot just 37.1 percent from the field, with Siena making nearly 53 percent of its shots.
- George King scored 23 points and Josh Scott accounted for 22 points and ten rebounds as Colorado beat BYU, 92-83. BYU shot just 9-for-29 from three, and senior guard Chase Fischer made just two of his fourteen field goal attempts.
- Patrick McCaw scored 17 points, grabbed eight rebounds and added seven steals as UNLV won 73-62 at UC Riverside. Taylor Johns led the home team with 21 points and 13 rebounds.
- New Mexico picked up a solid win at home, beating Northern Iowa 76-57. Elijah Brown scored 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Tim Williams added 19 and six for the Lobos, who moved to 6-2 on the season.
- Washington took a Montana team that pushed No. 20 Gonzaga to the brink earlier this week out behind the woodshed, winning 92-62 in Seattle. Marquese Chriss led the way for the Huskies with 22 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.
- Little Rock remained undefeated with another road win, as they beat DePaul 66-44. Josh Hagins scored 18 points and Marcus Johnson 14 for the 8-0 Trojans.
On
Memoriesofhistory.com
1901 - The first table tennis tournament was held. It was at the London Royal Aquarium.
1915 - Jack Johnson became the first black world heavyweight champion.
1952 - The Brooklyn Dodgers signed pitcher Sandy Koufax.
1982 - Marcel Dionne (Los Angeles Kings) scored his 500th goal.
1984 - Howard Cosell retired from the NFL's Monday Night Football.
1986 - Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins) set an NFL record with his seventh 400-yard game.
1988 - CBS won the exclusive rights to major league baseball's 1990-94 seasons for $1.1 billion.
1988 - The NBA's Miami Heat won their first game. They had lost their first 17 games.
1997 - Mike Gartner (Phoenix Coyotes) became only the fifth player in NHL history to score 700 career goals. The other 700 goal scorers were Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Phil Esposito and Marcel Dionne.
1997 - Barry Sanders (Detroit Lions) ran for more than 100 yards for his 13th consecutive game.
1998 - Jerry Rice (San Francisco 49ers) caught a pass in a game against the Detroit Lions. It was his 191st consecutive game with a reception.
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